our blog
Fall Prevention – Why is it Important to You?
I had just gotten done working a short shift at the hospital, it was late, I just wanted to go to bed. I couldn’t, I had to take my dogs out yet. I got home and quickly threw my purse down and grabbed the dogs. It was February and it had been warmer during the day so...
Avoid Falls at Home – Checklist
Six out of every ten falls happen at home, where we tend to move around without consciously thinking about our safety. Sore muscles, broken bones, and painful bruises can be avoided by following these tips from the National Institute of Health: Remove anything that...
Age Where You Want To
My grandma was our rock, she was 90, she was strong-willed, and she was our glue. She broke her hip but was determined to walk again and did so in six short weeks. She cared for my 92 year old grandpa who had a number of strokes but still lived at home with her. ...
Live the Dry Life: Incontinence Treatment in Fall Prevention
How often have we heard someone say (or maybe even say ourselves) “When I laugh I leak a little bit” or “I just wasn’t able to make it to the bathroom in time” or even “I woke up to go the bathroom 3 times last night”? All of these describe urinary incontinence, and...
How to Identify Intrinsic and Extrinsic Falls
I didn't fall, I just slipped out of my chair… My feet stopped moving and the top part kept going… I tried to turn around but my feet got tripped up… Statements like these are very common when I talk to my patients with Parkinson's disease about falls. As an...
Hunting Season Safety
During hunting season, falls from tree stands are common and are correlated to a high rate of neurological injury. In fact, it's estimated 1 out of 3 hunters will experience a fall resulting in serious injury. Improper use of tree stands, poor construction, using tree...
Perspective from Clinical to Community
As a nurse that works in an orthopedics unit, Sara has personally seen the negative consequences of fall-related injuries. The psychological impact due to the fear of falling and the loss of independence accompanies the physical pain of falling. Also of importance,...
The Thompson Center on Lourdes
The Thompson Center on Lourdes is a nonprofit community center based inside St. Bernadette School in Appleton, Wisconsin. Their motto is “Celebrating Life over 50.” When the Thompson Community Center on College Avenue closed in March 2016, St. Bernadette Parish...
Plan a Trip to the Floor
When was the last time you got down on the floor in your home? Really, think about it. Was it days, weeks, months or years ago? Does the thought of getting down on the floor make you question your ability to get back up? When we are younger we spend much time on the...
Wisconsin is Second in the Nation (and not in a good way…)
On a cold morning in January of 2017, I received a panicked call from my 88 year old grandma that she had fallen and needed help. After a night of lying on the floor, she managed to knock her cell phone off her night stand and dial my number. I arrived just as the...